Finding the perfect ‘fit'

Published: Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 11:40 p.m.

Just as teams prepare for the NFL draft, they will have to find five-to-six players in free agency each season that would play at the same level no matter where they end up.

The rest is about finding the right player to "fit" what you do offensively and defensively. It is the key to success in the NFL.

New Orleans Saints Sean Payton and his staff have done a terrific job finding those "fit" players offensively in the past.

Either by the draft or free agency, the Saints have been able to find the right players to fit in his high-tech offense.

The problem is they haven't been nearly as successful on the defensive side of the ball, where Payton has turned over a lot of the personnel and evaluation power over to his defensive coordinators.

We've seen this with former Saints defensive coordinators in Gary Gibbs and Gregg Williams and now with new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.

This offseason, Ryan wanted a big and very physical cover cornerback, and he got one in Keenan Lewis, a free-agent pickup from Pittsburgh.

Lewis is a perfect "fit" in what Ryan wants his cornerbacks to do, which is press wide receivers hard when they come off the ball, physically get after them down the field and use their size and length to get their hands on a football.

Lewis is a perfect "fit" player for the Saints and Ryan.

The signing of veteran free agent tight end Ben Watson was an excellent pick-up for the Saints also. He is the perfect fit in this offensive scheme that ulitilizes the two-tight end offense at a high rate. I expect to see more of these sets with Watson and Jimmy Graham this season.

On few occasions since returning to the Saints, Payton has talked about wanting to go back to more two tight end sets and less of using an extra offensive lineman in short-yardage sets like what we have seen in the past with offensive tackle Zach Strief and last season with Eric Olsen.

But what I think Payton has in mind is what we have seen in New England, with how the Patriots have used Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez in the two-tight end look.

Watson has developed into a good blocker in the NFL, but the very athletic former Georgia star tight end is also an effective pass catching threat down the field.

In the last three seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Watson caught 154 passes for 1,674 yards and eight touchdowns. During his time with the New England Patriots, he grabbed 87 passes for 1,002 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Watson is a perfect fit for a Saints offense that wants to spread the ball down the field this season, especially over the middle where you see so many coverage mismatches.

The Saints want to put a heavier emphasis on running the ball as well, featuring Mark Ingram as a major part of the offensive arsenal, and Watson is a very accomplished blocker.

Watson's in-line blocking skills and his speed and eye-hand coordination as a receiver make him the perfect match for the Saints.

Last week's addition of former Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Victor Butler to the team was a "moneyball" football deal.

Butler has never been a full-time starter in the NFL. In four seasons, the former Oregon State defensive end recorded 73 tackles, 11 sacks and forced five fumbles.

He has only had two starts in those four seasons.

Dallas' DeMarcus Ware is one of the elite players in this game and clearly one of the best pass rushers this game has to offer today, but the Cowboys chose to keep the high-priced Anthony Spencer over Butler earlier in the year.

Spencer is a well-respected outside linebacker in run defense, but he never fully developed that great array of pass rush moves that he flashed at times, especially in 2009, on a consistent basis.

Dallas owner Jerry Jones, who is never known for making great football moves by all by himself, chose to put the franchise tag on Spencer instead of making a much better money deal to keep Butler in Dallas.

Spencer is a good NFL starter, but no star talent by any means of the football imagination.

Jones is not the high judge of football talent he pretends to be, but he is a really good business man, and in this case, he chose the higher price brand of Spencer over Butler.

In watching and evaluating Butler through his years in college and in the pros, the 6-foot-2, 245-pound outside linebacker is built with from the same mold as Junior Galette and Martez Wilson.

Butler is a well-built and very quick off the edge pass rush specialist. He has flashed excellent edge speed and closing ability in the pocket and a very strong one-move shot up the field.

He is also a consistent hard worker. There is no let up in his play, and I like his hustle and desire.

There is also room for Butler to improve. He needs to learn how to use his arms and hands better when engaged with blockers, and he needs to utilize better moves to get by blockers because he often tries to beat his man with a strong power move or just running through the potential block.

One pro scout who paid close attention to Butler made the remark to me this week that Butler is a really good athlete, but has never developed that full array of pass rush moves you want to see from a top-flight edge outside linebacker.

When Butler gets hot as a pass rusher, watch how NFL teams scheme up to try and take him away from being that consistent threat off the edge. But for the money and age, Butler is the best option for the Saints right now at outside linebacker.

It also takes the pressure from the Saints having to use that first-round pick on a pass rush outside linebacker. While Butler, Galette and Wilson have done little to show they are the answers to the pass rush woes, the depth at the position means that the Saints have options to go another route if they chose.

The one thing for sure over the past few months is that the need for the edge pass rushers have intensified immensely and Oregon's Dion Jordan, Brigham Young's Ezekel Ansah and LSU's Barkevious Mingo will not be on the board when the Saints pick at 15.

What is shocking is that two players that have really played well the last two seasons and at times dominated — Florida State defensive end Bjoern Werner and Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones — have tumbled a bit and could be available when the Saints picks at 15.

We see it every year that players who don't have a stellar season in the fall make a momentual leap up the charts during pre-draft workouts, and the Saints could still be in a prime spot to take an elite defensive end or outside linebacker.

There are still openings on this football team, as a veteran left tackle is a huge must get for the Saints and also a veteran back-up quarterback. Keep a close eye on the developments in Cleveland with Colt McCoy, who would be a great fit as a back-up to Drew Brees because of his similar playing style.

Despite having money management issues to start the offseason, the Saints have made good moves to upgrade their football team. You have to give general manager Mickey Loomis and salary cap expert Khai Harley great credit for finding creative ways to keep this team in the football hunt.

And on the first day of the NFL draft, don't be surprised to see the Saints trade back to acquire extra picks.

<p>I have written this for many years, and I will write it again. </p><p>Just as teams prepare for the NFL draft, they will have to find five-to-six players in free agency each season that would play at the same level no matter where they end up.</p><p>The rest is about finding the right player to "fit" what you do offensively and defensively. It is the key to success in the NFL.</p><p>New Orleans Saints Sean Payton and his staff have done a terrific job finding those "fit" players offensively in the past.</p><p>Either by the draft or free agency, the Saints have been able to find the right players to fit in his high-tech offense.</p><p>The problem is they haven't been nearly as successful on the defensive side of the ball, where Payton has turned over a lot of the personnel and evaluation power over to his defensive coordinators.</p><p>We've seen this with former Saints defensive coordinators in Gary Gibbs and Gregg Williams and now with new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.</p><p>This offseason, Ryan wanted a big and very physical cover cornerback, and he got one in Keenan Lewis, a free-agent pickup from Pittsburgh. </p><p>Lewis is a perfect "fit" in what Ryan wants his cornerbacks to do, which is press wide receivers hard when they come off the ball, physically get after them down the field and use their size and length to get their hands on a football.</p><p>Lewis is a perfect "fit" player for the Saints and Ryan.</p><p>The signing of veteran free agent tight end Ben Watson was an excellent pick-up for the Saints also. He is the perfect fit in this offensive scheme that ulitilizes the two-tight end offense at a high rate. I expect to see more of these sets with Watson and Jimmy Graham this season.</p><p>On few occasions since returning to the Saints, Payton has talked about wanting to go back to more two tight end sets and less of using an extra offensive lineman in short-yardage sets like what we have seen in the past with offensive tackle Zach Strief and last season with Eric Olsen.</p><p>But what I think Payton has in mind is what we have seen in New England, with how the Patriots have used Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez in the two-tight end look.</p><p>Watson has developed into a good blocker in the NFL, but the very athletic former Georgia star tight end is also an effective pass catching threat down the field. </p><p>In the last three seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Watson caught 154 passes for 1,674 yards and eight touchdowns. During his time with the New England Patriots, he grabbed 87 passes for 1,002 yards and 13 touchdowns.</p><p>Watson is a perfect fit for a Saints offense that wants to spread the ball down the field this season, especially over the middle where you see so many coverage mismatches.</p><p>The Saints want to put a heavier emphasis on running the ball as well, featuring Mark Ingram as a major part of the offensive arsenal, and Watson is a very accomplished blocker.</p><p>Watson's in-line blocking skills and his speed and eye-hand coordination as a receiver make him the perfect match for the Saints.</p><p>Last week's addition of former Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Victor Butler to the team was a "moneyball" football deal. </p><p>Butler has never been a full-time starter in the NFL. In four seasons, the former Oregon State defensive end recorded 73 tackles, 11 sacks and forced five fumbles.</p><p>He has only had two starts in those four seasons.</p><p>Dallas' DeMarcus Ware is one of the elite players in this game and clearly one of the best pass rushers this game has to offer today, but the Cowboys chose to keep the high-priced Anthony Spencer over Butler earlier in the year.</p><p>Spencer is a well-respected outside linebacker in run defense, but he never fully developed that great array of pass rush moves that he flashed at times, especially in 2009, on a consistent basis.</p><p>Dallas owner Jerry Jones, who is never known for making great football moves by all by himself, chose to put the franchise tag on Spencer instead of making a much better money deal to keep Butler in Dallas.</p><p>Spencer is a good NFL starter, but no star talent by any means of the football imagination.</p><p>Jones is not the high judge of football talent he pretends to be, but he is a really good business man, and in this case, he chose the higher price brand of Spencer over Butler.</p><p>In watching and evaluating Butler through his years in college and in the pros, the 6-foot-2, 245-pound outside linebacker is built with from the same mold as Junior Galette and Martez Wilson.</p><p>Butler is a well-built and very quick off the edge pass rush specialist. He has flashed excellent edge speed and closing ability in the pocket and a very strong one-move shot up the field.</p><p>He is also a consistent hard worker. There is no let up in his play, and I like his hustle and desire.</p><p>There is also room for Butler to improve. He needs to learn how to use his arms and hands better when engaged with blockers, and he needs to utilize better moves to get by blockers because he often tries to beat his man with a strong power move or just running through the potential block.</p><p>One pro scout who paid close attention to Butler made the remark to me this week that Butler is a really good athlete, but has never developed that full array of pass rush moves you want to see from a top-flight edge outside linebacker. </p><p>When Butler gets hot as a pass rusher, watch how NFL teams scheme up to try and take him away from being that consistent threat off the edge. But for the money and age, Butler is the best option for the Saints right now at outside linebacker.</p><p>It also takes the pressure from the Saints having to use that first-round pick on a pass rush outside linebacker. While Butler, Galette and Wilson have done little to show they are the answers to the pass rush woes, the depth at the position means that the Saints have options to go another route if they chose.</p><p>The one thing for sure over the past few months is that the need for the edge pass rushers have intensified immensely and Oregon's Dion Jordan, Brigham Young's Ezekel Ansah and LSU's Barkevious Mingo will not be on the board when the Saints pick at 15.</p><p>What is shocking is that two players that have really played well the last two seasons and at times dominated — Florida State defensive end Bjoern Werner and Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones — have tumbled a bit and could be available when the Saints picks at 15.</p><p>We see it every year that players who don't have a stellar season in the fall make a momentual leap up the charts during pre-draft workouts, and the Saints could still be in a prime spot to take an elite defensive end or outside linebacker.</p><p>There are still openings on this football team, as a veteran left tackle is a huge must get for the Saints and also a veteran back-up quarterback. Keep a close eye on the developments in Cleveland with Colt McCoy, who would be a great fit as a back-up to Drew Brees because of his similar playing style. </p><p>Despite having money management issues to start the offseason, the Saints have made good moves to upgrade their football team. You have to give general manager Mickey Loomis and salary cap expert Khai Harley great credit for finding creative ways to keep this team in the football hunt.</p><p>And on the first day of the NFL draft, don't be surprised to see the Saints trade back to acquire extra picks.</p><p>NFL analyst Mike Detillier is based in Raceland.</p>